The honest review of Capella Ubud

If you want to stay inland and explore Ubud rather than sit on the coast, Capella is one of the two properties I'd actually point people to.

For a coastal stay I'd send people to Bvlgari or Raffles instead, but for Ubud itself, it's between Capella and Mandapa. If someone wants something more experiential still, I'd skip Bali entirely for Sumba.

The wooden toilets staring right at the bed didn't sound romantic to us, so we chose a different property for our honeymoon.

It's clearly visually striking and different from anything else, but some of the design choices felt like they prioritized theater over comfort for an intimate trip. We went with Amandari instead for what we wanted out of the week.

This one photographs beautifully but I found it genuinely uncomfortable to actually live in for several nights.

I like some Bensley projects and some Capellas, but not all of them, and this property falls into the category that looks better in pictures than it feels in person over an extended stay. Mandapa, by comparison, is fabulous with better food and just as lovely a jungle setting.

We looked at Capella for the tented concept alone, and it's genuinely one of a kind if that's what you want out of a honeymoon.

It's not a hotel room in the conventional sense, more a luxury safari tent with a private plunge pool and screened walls instead of glass windows. You hear and feel the jungle all around you, which is either the whole appeal or a dealbreaker depending on what you want from your nights.

Hidden in the jungle where you can genuinely hear and see nature, and the staff helped us arrange a complimentary rice terrace tour with a ranger.

The rooms are strikingly designed but still work practically day to day. We also got a full island tour arranged by staff, and the communal area's pool table with cocktails and afternoon tea included was a nice touch we kept coming back to.

Every wish seemed to be anticipated before we even asked, which is rarer than any brochure can promise.

Each villa is designed like a proper tent but perfectly integrated into the jungle, complete with its own private pool and jungle views. The management is clearly hands-on and everything down to the smallest detail was organized. It felt like living in the middle of paradise for our whole stay.

For what this place costs and the reputation it has, my stay was genuinely frustrating from check-in onward.

I'm a GHA Titanium member and had to ask multiple times before I got any upgrade recognition, eventually landing a Valley Tent that wasn't ready until 4:15pm and had dead outlets, a soaked deck cushion, and a broken old-fashioned phone. With about 120 steps between my tent and reception and no working phone, I had to physically walk back and forth to report problems. The eventual upgrade to a Keliki Tent wasn't ready until 6:15pm, so I didn't actually settle in until nearly three hours after arrival.

“roughly 120 steep steps between my tent and the reception area”in their words

Three nights in the Valley Tent and every single staff member knew our names and what we'd been up to that day, which felt genuinely rare.

Each tent has its own theme and stayed comfortable despite the humidity of the rainforest around us. The team arranged activities that actually enhanced the stay rather than feeling like add-ons, and never seemed to run out of ways to help. Ayu, Sonny, Yuni and Yogi in particular made the whole thing unforgettable.

Honestly the best hotel experience I've had anywhere in the world, and it's the people, not the buildings, that make it that way.

Even the landscaping and cleaning staff greet you warmly when you pass, which is rare consistency. Duty Manager Vidi welcomed us on arrival and kept greeting us by name in Korean every time our paths crossed for the rest of the stay. When my companion slightly injured an ankle on the trekking program, Ayu personally brought medicine to our tent and kept checking on us afterward, well beyond what we asked for.

My chakra healing session with Dayu was the most affecting spa experience I've ever had, and my husband, who doesn't believe in any of this, still booked a second session.

Dayu could read my energy without touching me and told me exactly where I was blocked, both physically and mentally. I saw symbolic imagery during the meditation and felt genuinely lighter afterward. My husband came out having opened what he described as his third eye and started meditating regularly after we got home.

What sold me was how local it all felt, we never once felt removed from real Balinese life despite the five-star polish around us.

We joined the sunrise tour to Mount Batur and watched it break over a sea of clouds, made better by our guide Hendra, who was patient and knowledgeable throughout. Dinner at Api Jiwa with the cocktail pairing turned me into a fan of arak. Rice farmers work the fields right in front of your tent while you still get complete privacy, and the staff answered every question we had about Balinese history and culture without hesitation.

Copper bathtub, outdoor shower, private saltwater pool in the room, and staff who genuinely seemed to know our schedule every single day.

Every tent is uniquely decorated with its own theme, done in a proper five-star manner despite the camp concept. Staff from the front desk to the bartenders all wanted to share Balinese culture with us unprompted. We came away deciding we'll actively seek out other Bensley hotels after this stay.